Weeds
How can I control stickerweed in my yard?
Lawn burweed [Solvia pterosperma (Juss.) Less.], also called spurweed, is a broadleaf weed that emerges each winter. This weed occurs throughout Mississippi and produces seed in the spring that are protected by sharp spines. Emerged lawn burweed can easily be controlled with any mixture of 2,4-D, dicamba and MCPP, such as Trimec or Weed-B-Gone. However, these herbicides should be applied while the lawn burweed is still very small and long before seed production best control.
Be careful using these mixtures on St. Augustinegrass or centipedegrass as there can be injury. Choose a formulation similar to these that is recommended for these two turfs, such as Weed-B-Gone for Southern Lawns. Be sure to treat before the stickers develop, or there will be a good seed crop for next year.
An alternative to the treatments listed above, and that can be used on all types of warm season turfgrass, is atrazine. For best results, apply atrazine in early fall or early winter before lawn burweed emerges. Several herbicide tradenames that contain atrazine are available, as well as several of the "weed and feed" fertilizers with atrazine. These fertilizers should be applied very early in the spring for effective control.
Be careful applying herbicides, especially those that contain atrazine, around flowers, shrubs and shallow rooted trees in the lawn as injury can occur.
